Meat mains
Coriander and yoghurt chicken with fragrant cauliflower and rice
This is a bizarre dish as it seems to go against convention in the cooking method. The coriander is added at the start rather than the end, and the sauce looks as if it has split and curdled at various points in the process. But don't panic, stick with it, as it all comes together in the end.
Cook's notes
A good trick for peeling ginger is to scrap away the skin with a teaspoon. It allows you to get into the nooks and crannies and saves on waste.
Ingredients
- 25g piece ginger
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon
- 1 cauliflower
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 red chilli
- 60g fresh coriander
- curry spice pot:
- ½ tsp turmeric,
- 1 tsp coriander,
- ½ tsp cumin
- 200g basmati rice
- oil for frying e.g. sunflower or light olive
- 300g diced chicken leg
- 2 pots yoghurt
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 6. Peel the ginger (see cook's note). Peel 4 garlic cloves. Juice the lemon. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Deseed the chilli. Wash the coriander and shake dry.
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Step 2
Keep a small handful of coriander to one side for garnishing at the end, use the rest for your curry paste. Put the ginger, tomatoes, garlic, chilli, curry spice pot and coriander (stalks and all) into the food processor or blender. Add 4 tablespoons of water, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and a good pinch of salt. Blend into a smooth paste.
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Step 3
If you don't have a food processor or a blender, then peel and finely chop or grate the ginger and garlic. Finely chop the chilli. Finely chop the coriander (stalks and all). Mix with the other ingredients above to form a rough paste. Season the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper.
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Step 4
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Fry the chicken until browned on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Add the curry paste and lower the heat.
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Step 5
Cook for 20 minutes, stirring at regular intervals until the sauce has thickened. The oil may begins to split from the sauce, don't fret (see introduction). While the chicken cooks, strip the leaves from the cauliflower and remove the central core.
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Step 6
Cut the florets into small bite-sized pieces. Mix with the garam masala, salt and pepper and a coating of oil. Spread onto the oven tray. Keep to one side. Put the kettle on to boil. Rinse the rice in a sieve. Put the rice into a pan with a good pinch of salt.
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Step 7
Cover well with boiling water and stir once. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until tender. Brown rice will always have a slight chew to it. Stir the yoghurt into the chicken. Bring it back to a simmer and lower the heat.
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Step 8
Cover the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes. Check every so often that it isn't drying out. Add a dash of water if it begins to stick. While the yoghurt cooks out, pop the cauliflower in the oven. Roast it for 10 minutes or until it is just tender but has a little bite.
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Step 9
Dress with a little bit of remaining lemon juice. Fluff up the warm rice with a fork. Divide it between 2 plates and spoon the curry on top. Serve the cauliflower on the side. Chop the handful of coriander you saved and use it as a final garnish.